Kinney Takes Pro Gas Series Points Lead with Fontana Victory over Cooke

By Bob Johnson
California Dragway Fontana, Calif. August 20, 2005

Pete Kinney won the annual Southern California Pro Gas Assoc., Russ Harris Memorial Race at California Dragway, defeating Gary Cooke in the final round. The win by Kinney moves him into the series points lead with only two events remaining.

Seventy-nine race cars entered the event, with Phil Miller’s ’68 Camaro leading all qualifiers with a 9.901. In all, 13 cars qualified on the 9.90 index, including Randy Kersey (9.902), John Ross, Loreen Johnson, Pete Kinney, and Audrey Isreal (9.903), Beto Campa (9.904), Bill Ohmer (9.905), Johnny Matassa (9.906), Karen Comstock (9.907), Rich Okerman (9.908), and Paul Wiechmann and Doug Sedmak (9.909).

Quarterfinal action began with Kinney advancing with a .009 reaction time as John Ross fouled with a -.003 light, Cooke used a .003 to beat Jim Gallatin’s Arizona-based Ford Thunderbird, and Randy Fabbro got a bye run. In the semi, Cooke’s Corvette got the win at 10.026, (.023 r.t.) to beat Fabbro’s ’78 Pinto, losing with a 10.022 and .048 reaction. Kinney got a bye run with his ’38 Chevy roadster.

The final round was anticlimactic, as Gary Cooke’s Corvette couldn’t make the final round call and Pete Kinney drove his ’38 Chevy roadster to a final round 9.952, 148.44 on a single for the victory and RV Parts Outlet-sponsored trophy.

Pete Kinney will go into the next race with 3320 points, followed by Rich Okerman (3121), Wayne Newman (3025), Randy Fabbro (2924), Paul Wiechmann (2843), John Ross (2731), Alan Hoefer (2723), Doug Spencer (2713), Ryan Herem (2608), and Phil Miller (2560).

The series resumes on September 11 at L.A. County Raceway with the Wayne and Dave’s Automotive/S & Z Racing sponsored 7th race of the season. The season ends on October 1 with the Meziere Enterprises finals, also at L.A. County.

Ray's Notes